The present invention relates to a power supply for DC motors, in particular for actuators for use in the adjustment of tables, beds and similar furniture, said power supply comprising a transformer having a primary side for connection to a mains voltage (AC) and a secondary side with a rectifier and a buffer capacitor having a terminal for at least a DC motor and typically also a terminal for a control.
Linear actuators as independent installation components are used e.g. in furniture, hospital and nursing equipment, machinery and within the manufacturing industry for performing various movements and positional adjustments.
For a good working position at tables or table-like arrangements it is important that tho level of the tabletop can be adapted to the individual person and his working position, sitting or standing. This has previously been accomplished in connection with more sophisticated tables and equipment where the costs of the height adjustment itself have been of inferior importance. However, the focussing in recent years on working environment has meant that also more ordinary working tables, such as desks, must be adjustable in height. As a consequence, the price of the height adjustment has become a decisive factor. This had led to a new product field, viz. lifting columns for tables, it being intended to meet the specific requirements that are associated with tables. These lifting columns are typically based on linear actuators as a drive assembly incorporated in the lifting column, which usually consists of two telescopic links. With a control panel, which may a switch in its simplest form, the user can adjust the level of the tabletop as desired.
For reasons of safety and costs, the electrical equipment of linear actuators is a low volt equipment. In addition to this being justifiable in terms of safety, it means lower component costs and simpler procedures of approval, which allows the prices of the products to be kept at an acceptably low level.
As a power supply for linear actuators use is typically made of a transformer with full-wave rectification and smoothing capacitor, which is a simple, reliable and inexpensive power supply, but still has the drawback that the motor speed decreases relatively drastically with an increased load on the actuator. In most situations it is seen as natural and to be expected that the speed of the structure is reduced in step with the load. For lifting columns for tables this relatively great difference in speed between an empty table and a heavily loaded table is so great that the users see this as a drawback. Concretely, the task is thus to minimize this difference in speed for lifting columns within the given framework. For competitive reasons, the solution must be neutral in terms of costs or essentially neutral in terms of costs.
Since it is desired to leave the basic structure of the actuators unchanged, it is practically just possible to consider the power supply and the control of the motors. As the manufacturing costs relative to the solutions applied must be substantially neutral, then e.g. frequency control and switch mode power supply are left out beforehand, as these are expensive solutions.
Accordingly, the object of the invention is to provide a power supply which, in terms of manufacture, is not more expensive or noticeably more expensive than those traditionally used for linear actuators, and which addresses the problem of declining performance without exceeding the permissible voltages for a low voltage structure.
With this as a starting point, it has been contemplated how the utilization of the available output of a given transformer can be optimized while observing the permissible voltages. In accordance with the Danish high power regulation, the voltage on the secondary side of the transformer may not exceed 60 volts, while the voltage in a low volt installation may generally not exceed 42.4 volts.
The invention provides a power supply of the type stated in the opening paragraph which is characterized in that it comprises voltage limiting means coupled in parallel with the motor and connected to switch means, so that the motor is connected on a first part of the sine half-waves, but is disconnected when the voltage determined for the voltage limiter is reached.
Hereby, minimal losses may be achieved in the power supply, while ensuring a good mean voltage as the voltage does not exceed an upper permissible value. The voltage is thus limited in the power supply at lower loads relative to the traditional power supply. When the load reaches a certain size, the output decreases like in the traditional power supply as the transformer cannot supply sufficient voltage. In case of a linear actuator, this means that the speed decreases considerably less at low loads than with a traditional power supply, while the decrease in speed at greater loads, where the transformer cannot supply sufficient voltage, is of the same size as with a traditional power supply. For example in case of lifting columns for tables, this is a significant improvement over the known structures. That the speed decreases relatively more on the last section toward maximum load is readily logical to the user, and is instrumental in making the user hesitate to overload the structure.
The voltage limiting means are expediently formed by a Zener diode, which is a reliable and relatively inexpensive component. A diode having a Zener voltage corresponding to the desired limitation of the maximum voltage is selected. Preferably, a diode having a Zener voltage of or about 39 volts is selected, which gives a suitable safety margin up to the permissible 42.4 volts.
The switch means are expediently a FET transistor having a gate arranged such that current is supplied to the motor when the gate is high, while current to it is interrupted when the gate is low. FET transistors are likewise a reliable and inexpensive component. The FET transistor may be controlled by a controller consisting of transistors and resistors. The circuit is realized such that the FET transistor may be coupled entirely ON and OFF in a simple manner, as it is arranged as a low-side FET transistor. To avoid power losses in the FET transistor, a transformer with an expedient frequency characteristic may be selected.
As a particular feature, FET transistors are protected against external transients (surge and burst pulses) by a single Zener diode. The same Zener diode serves as a snubbe limiter for the secondary side of the transformer. The diode ensures that the FET transistor is controlled to suppress these undesired spikes. The main energy from these undesired voltage spikes is even transferred to the buffer capacitor. In addition it is ensured that the FET transistor is not subjected to voltages above specification limits.
Within the given limits of the voltages the invention allows transformers with a higher power (higher voltage) to be usedxe2x80x94in concrete cases 20%. This potential may be utilized for a higher speed. For transformers that can be switched from 230 volts AC to 115 volts AC, the extra power may be also be utilized such that the input of 115 volts AC may comprise 100 volts AC.
As another option, the actuator speed may be increased by lowering the motor impedance or increasing the spindle pitch. For reasons of costs, motors with permanent magnets are typically used in linear actuators. To protect the magnets against demagnetization because of increased start current, a soft start may be madexe2x80x94current limitation or PWM controlled start of the motor. Soft start may be realized by allowed the motor to idle for a period prior to stop, controlled by HW (hardware) or SW (software).
It has been found, however, that soft start of the motor may be provided in a simple and inexpensive manner with a measuring resistor arranged in the controller in the motor output after the buffer capacitor. During start, the measuring resistor will limit the voltage to the motor until its full EMF (electromotive force) has been reached.
Another way of utilizing the invention is to regulate to a lower mean voltage, e.g. 33 volts, which allows actuators to be speed-limited at a low load. This results in a more uniform speed at varying loads and movement up and down at lifting columns.
It should also be mentioned that the circuits in the power supply may be designed such that thermal problems are exclusively attributed to the transformer which typically has a reconnectible fuse. Hereby, operating abuse, e.g. playing in terms of moving adjustable tables up and down, is not a thermal problem for the electronics.
Even in its simplest form, the structure should be able to meet the future demands on power factor. The power factor, however, may be improved by inserting an additional buffer capacitor in parallel with the rectifier, thereby achieving a further smoothing of the voltage. This capacitor is charged with the 60 volts from the rectifier. Connected, an inductance is inserted in series with the source of the FET transistor to the first buffer capacitor. In addition, the inductance is provided with an idle diode connected to the common positive power line. This means that the current is not interrupted abruptly, but that the current curve will have an inclined course during the interruption.
A further development of the invention consist in tapping current from precisely the same voltage level, where the front phase section is interrupted. This gives an additional current which is symmetrical with a peak at each end. The advantage is that the buffer capacitor is filled once more prior to zero crossing. This results in a lower voltage ripple and supplementary drawing of current from the transformer at voltage adaptation. The greatest benefit fit is a reduced ripple voltage at a lower desired output voltage. To this should be added reduced power loss in the transformer. This may be utilized for soft start and stop of the motor.
In general, the power supply is designed for highly efficient operation with very low power losses in the components.
In certain situations, it may be desirable or required to have simultaneous or alternative battery operation. This may be provided in that a reset signal for a lock in the control circuit is formed in a separate synchronization circuit.
For reasons of safety or according to customer specification it may be a requirement that the power supply is energyless when it is not used. This may be satisfied in that the FET transistor may be forced to be interrupted, controlled by the control electronics in general.
A special embodiment of the invention is defined in claim 11, where the power supply comprises means for measuring the current power in the motor, and this measurement is used as a feedback for adjusting the motor voltage so that the speed of the motor is kept constant.
By adjusting the motor voltage relative to the current power consumption of the motor, not only the speed difference is reduced, but the motor speed can be kept constant for loads in the range up to the maximum output of the transformer. The voltage is small at a low power consumption, and the voltage increases correspondingly at an increased power consumption. For lifting columns this means that the tabletop will move at the same speed, no matter whether the table is loaded or not, and no matter whether it is moved up or down. This applies until the maximum output of the transformer has been reached. In case of a greater load on the table, the speed will decrease like for a traditional power supply when the table is raised, but is lowered at the constant speed as the weight on the table causes a reduced load on the motor in this situation. The lowering speed is thus not faster at a great load, as is the case with the traditional power supply. This lower constant lowering speed is gentle to the structure and equipment on the table.
Furthermore, at least in lifting columns, the motor is provided with an overload protection which interrupts the current to the motor when it exceeds a maximum size. This overload protection incorporates a measuring circuit for measuring the current, and the signal from this may be utilized in the invention, so that the costs may additionally be kept down.
At a low load the motor speed will be smaller than what the power supply can yield, viz. corresponding to the speed at a maximum load. This will be satisfactory in most cases. If a higher speed is desired, then, where the motor/transformer output so permits, compensation for this may be achieved through the mechanical transmission, e.g. a spindle with a greater screw pitch may be selected for linear actuators.
In summary, the power losses are kept down in the circuit because of the general focus on a high efficiency in the entire working range of the power supply. The average power supply is estimated to be above 95-98%, excluding the efficiency of the transformer. The circuit is realized such that the FET transistor may be coupled entirely On and OFF in a simple manner, as it is arranged as a low-side FET. The circuit is realized such that it is possible to control/regulate the output voltage. The circuit protects against excess voltage relative to the requirement of the low voltage regulation with respect to maximum voltage peaks of 42.4 volts. Thanks to the circuit the designer of the actuator has a greater freedom in choosing between motors and spindle pitches. The circuit may contribute to ensuring a long service life for the relays in the H-bridges.